Bannerman’s Castle on Pollepel IslandNew York has a rich history and is full of spooky lore and unexplained phenomenon tied to the paranormal. The Haunted History Trail’s new groups program focuses on helping visitors experience that phenomenon year-round – not just during the typical fall months when the haunted theme is most prominent.
Six individual, pre-formed itineraries will aid group operators in visiting attractions in the different regions of New York State. The trail is over 400 miles and boasts over 40 attractions, historic sites and cultural institutions statewide that can accommodate group tours. These attractions include haunted hotels where guests can spend the night, spooky mansions and castles available for tours, and a haunted asylum once visited by the Syfy television show Ghost Hunters. Dining experiences, walking tours, wine tastings – even an amusement park – make it easy to fill several days with haunted attractions.
For Tour Operators or travel trade who have existing NYS programs or itineraries, the Haunted History Trail stops provide a great way to spice or mix it up and sell those itineraries again with a twist. Many haunted locations are nearby other must-see group destinations in New York. Add a stop at Niagara Falls State Park when in the Greater Niagara Region. The park is less than a block from the Rapids Theatre – one of Western New York’s most haunted attractions – and right down the road from the historic Red Coach Inn. In the Finger Lakes, be sure to stop at the Corning Museum of Glass or Letchworth State Park after tasting the “Ghost” wine at Miles Wine Cellars. Stops in the Hudson Valley and Capitol Region put groups close to NYC, making it easy to see more than one great area of New York State during a trip.
You can’t talk about ghosts without talking about history – and numerous stops on the trail tie into the local history of New York State. Fort Ontario State Historic Site in the Thousand Islands region was erected in 1755 and once stood as a military fortress where countless battles were held. The spirits of perished soldiers are still said to haunt the fortress today. Dutch’s Spirits at Harvest Homestead Farm in the Hudson Valley Region was once the site of a mob-run distillery operation in the Prohibition era. Financed by iconic gangster Dutch Schultz, this multi-chamber underground bunker is known for a host of paranormal activity in addition to the rich history found within its walls.
The groups program also offers more intense experiences for serious ghost hunters. Paranormal investigations are available at most of the stops on the trail, and teams can book private appointments and bring in equipment to try and capture ghost sightings or electronic voice phenomenon (EVPs) of their own.
To learn more about the Haunted History Trail of New York State, visit: www.hauntedhistorytrail.com.
